While an initial study area has been identified, the boundaries of the refuges will be determined during the preparation of an environmental assessment. Public involvement will be an important element in this process. As an initial step, the Service will host three public informational meetings in Southwest Florida. Each meeting will include approximately
30 minutes of public information, followed by two hours of public participation where members of the community will be encouraged to ask questions and give comments.

The public is invited to attend any or all of these meetings, which will be held at the following times and locations:

May 22, 2001 - 7:00 p.m.

Fishers of Men Lutheran Church10360 Stringfellow Rd., St. James City, Pine Island;

Additional information on the refuge proposal is available through a fact sheet published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Persons interested in participating in the public informational meetings or receiving copies of the fact sheet and future updates should write to Mr. Charles R. Danner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Refuges, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, Georgia 30345, 1-800-419-9582; or call the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex at 941-472-1100.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.